Politics

​And for what reason will they not immediately obtain their maintenance for themselves and provide it for the fighters from the same land and the same allotments? All these things indeed involve great confusion. Nor is the law concerning judgment well framed, in requiring that one should judge by making distinctions when the charge is simply written, and that the judge should become an arbitrator. And this is possible in arbitration even for several people (for they communicate with one another about the judgment), but in the courts it is not possible; on the contrary, most of the legislators provide that the judges do not communicate with one another. Next, how will the judgment not be full of confusion, when the judge thinks that there is a debt, but not as much as the litigant claims? For one claims twenty minae, and the judge will decide on ten minae (or one more and another less), and another judge five minae, and another four, and in this manner it is clear that they will divide the sum; and some will condemn to the whole amount, and others to nothing. What, then, will be the method of counting the votes? Furthermore, nothing forces the one who simply acquits or condemns to commit perjury, if indeed the charge is simply written, provided he judges justly; for the one who acquits does not judge that nothing is owed, but rather that the twenty minae specifically are not owed; whereas he who has condemned, not believing that the twenty minae are owed, is the one who actually commits perjury. And concerning the law that there should be some honor for those who find something advantageous to the city, it is not safe to legislate, but only pleasant to hear; for it involves false accusations and, as it may happen, disturbances of the constitution. And it falls into another problem and a different inquiry; for some raise the question whether it is harmful or advantageous to cities to change ancestral laws, if there should be some other better one. Therefore, it is not easy to agree quickly with what has been said, if indeed it is not advantageous to change them, yet it is possible for some to introduce the dissolution of laws or of the constitution as a common good. But since we have made mention of it, it is better to distinguish a little further concerning it. For, as we said, it involves difficulty, and it might seem to be better to change them. In the other sciences, at any rate, this has been beneficial, as for instance medicine having been changed contrary to ancestral practices, and gymnastics, and generally all the arts and faculties; so that, since politics must be placed as one of these, it is clear that concerning this too it is necessary to hold in like manner. And one might say that a sign of this has occurred in the facts themselves; for the ancient laws are exceedingly simple and barbarian. For the Greeks used to carry iron weapons, and they bought their wives from one another, and whatever other ancient customs still remain anywhere are completely foolish.